Wagon-tongue support.



1. HUNKER.

- WAGON TONGUE SUPPORT.

- I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5| 1915.

' Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

JACOB HUNKER, or FALL ITm nE RAsK earns row Tr r

WAGON-TONGUE Sama menace.

sition necessary under draft strain is adapted through the medium of the support to be temporarily held in a plurality of positions, whereby in the use of the vehicle the weight of the tongue is taken from the draft animals and while the vehicle is not in use the tongue may be elevated or. lowered and held in such position against accidental displacement.

The improved structure contemplates the use of supporting clip secured to the rear or inner end of the tongue in which a spring pressed bolt ismounted for operating a cooperating spring strip being secured to the axle in line with the tongue'and formed for a holding conjunction with the bolt in a plurality of positions of the tongue.

The invention in the preferred form of de tails will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan illustrating the forward running gear and tongue and showing applied thereto the improved holding means. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same with the tongue in normal or usual position. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the tongue shown in elevated position. Fig. 4 is a similar view with the tongue shown in lowered position.

The preferred details of construction of the improved tongue support, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings include a U- shaped clip 1, the cross bar 2 of which is secured through the medium of bolts 3 to the underside of the usual tongue l, the clip being arranged immediately adjacent the rear end of the tongue. The forward leg 5 of the clip is straight or at right angles to the tongue while the rear leg is in part parallel to the front leg and has the lower portion thereof as 6 inclined forwardly and downwardly with respect to the rear. leg.-

The inclined portion of the rear leg, and the a 1 Specification of Letters Patent.v

' Patented Mar. *7 1916,

Application filed September 15, 1915. Serial No. 50,840.

front leg of the clip are connected by tie bolt 7, and the head of this bolt rests against the inclined portionfof the rear end, and the tie bolt being secured beyond the forward leg by a nut'8. Thismeans enables the respective legs to be drawn together through the medium of a bolt until a rigid structure is secured. Slidably mounted inthe respective legs of the clip-is a locking bolt 9, said bolt projecting through the parallel portions of the legs in parallelism with the tongue. The locking bolt is freely movable through. suitableopenings in the leg. and is spring pressed in the rearward direction through the medium of a spring 10 coiled about the bolt and bearing at one end against the forward leg and at therear end agamst the collar 11 secured on the lockingbolt. Underthis construction the rear or operative terminal 12 of the locking bolt is normally projected beyond the rear end of the tongue. I i

A spring strip 14, said spring strip comprising a forward leg 15 of comparatively short length which is bolted orotherwise secured directly to the forward surface of the axle in line with the tongue 4. From the leg 15 the strip extends forwardly as at 16 the, disposition .of the cliparranging the forwardly extended portions in line with the upper surface of the axle. From the forward end of the extension 16 the spring strip is projected downe wardly to form a holding member 17 This member for a portion of its length extends in parallelism with the forward face of the axle, being then formed with a rearwardly extending depression 18. From the depression the strip extends forwardly and downwardly on a curved line as at 19, terminating at the lower end of such portion in a depression 20. From the depression 20 the clip extends forwardly and downwardly at 13 is secured to the axle a less inclination to the horizontal than the these positions by reason of the rounded. formation of the portion 19 of the strip, and may be also held in a depressed position relative to the horizontal by the cooperation of the bolt With the strip above the depression 18, as shown in Fig. 4. The improved structure involves essentially, in so far as its connection With the Wagon structure is concerned, namely the clip 1 and the strip 13, these parts requiring to be connected With the tongue and axle in the simple manner described When the device is ready for use. It is to be particularly noted that the clip avoids projection laterally beyond the tongue, hence interference With operation about the vehicle is avoided. Furthermore the complete operation is automatic and the peculiar shape of the spring strip Will enable the user to support the tongue at any desired position, or practically any desired position by simply moving the tongue to such position. It is to be further noted that the recess 18 is more pronounced than any other holding point on the spring strip, so that it may be said that the tongue is more forcibly held in a normal position than in any other. By this means the tongue under the natural draft of the animals Will be supported and the animals relieved of the Weight of the tongue.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle tongue support including a clip removably secured to the tongue, a spring operated locking bolt carried by the clip, and a spring strip removably secured to the axle in line With the tongue, said strip being formed With spaced bolt receiving depressions and an intermediate curved portion for cooperating With the bolt.

2. A vehicle tongue support including a clip removably secured to the tongue, a spring operated locking bolt carried by the clip, and a spring strip removably secured to the axle in line With the tongue, said strip being formed With spaced bolt receiving depressions and anintermediate curved portion for cooperating With the bolt, said strip being spaced throughout its operative length from the axle and having a portion thereof in parallelism to the front surface of the axle.

3. A vehicle tongue support including a U-shaped clip, means for securing said clip to the tongue, one of the legs of the clip being in part inclined With respect to the other,

a tie bolt uniting the legs of the clip and cooperating with the inclined portion of the leg, a locking bolt slidably mounted in the clip above the tie bolt, a spring for actuating the bolt in one direction, and a spring strip removably secured to the axle and formed with a plurality of spaced depressions to receive the bolt, one of said depressions receiving the bolt when the tongue is in normal draft position, said depression being more pronounced than the remaining depression.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB HUNKER. Vitnesses:

RICHARD C. JAMES, SAMUEL MARTs.

Copies of' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

